There are some important issues. I am not disputing that. Admittedly I sort of understand some of the arguments for actively endorsing a specific politician that is vocally anti-abortion or leans more towards old-fashioned values. The matter of immorality, abortion and how to deal with poverty looms largest on my own moral horizon as do a few other hot-button social issues. Furthermore, the economy/debt of this country and what this nation should be doing in the Middle East are crucial matters. There are moral aspects to these issues which Christian leaders and Christians can address and should be helping their people and brethren with. By all means you should vote and participate in the democratic process.
But don’t be endorsing specific candidates. There is an
obvious and inherent danger in doing so. Human leaders and humans in general
are infamously fallible and will bring shame to themselves through their sins
inevitably sinking their own ship. To saddle one’s self with that burden
virtually guarantees you’ll go down with the ship too. You are effectively
strapping on concrete boots. In so doing you are dragging the Gospel down with
you as a Christian.
As critical as those issues are, none are as important as the church’s primary task of bringing the gospel to the community and the world. Plainly, some pastors have lost their way and some churches have forgotten their task. When they are willing to risk the salvation of lost people who wander into their services in order to get certain candidates elected, one must wonder if these men of God have forgotten their assignment from Matthew 28:18-20.
When Israel was in Babylon, God sent a message to His people through the prophet Jeremiah. “Work for the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile and pray on its behalf. For as it prospers, you will prosper." (Jeremiah 29:7)
In your town, state and country…work for it, pray for it. I even encourage people to be politically active of course. Just don’t bring the politicians and campaigns into the church building. And don’t donate the reputation of your Christian identity and the reputation of your faith to the politicians to be used as a tool. The church is a sanctuary not the other way around. The politicians should be coming to the church for wisdom and sanctuary, not the church going to the government and politicians. Christians should not be whoring their righteousness to those that will merely use it as a political or fiscal gain. There ought to be at least one place where we are protected from such.
Our allegiance is to the Gospel not to the systems of men. Anything that would seek to impose itself in the place of the Gospel or bring insult or offense to the Gospel and Scriptures is a resounding…NO. If your allegiance is not first to God, Gospel and Scripture you are effectively mixing God’s kingdom with a broken divided kingdom. We all know what the Bible says about the priority of the supremacy of God’s kingdom, divided kingdoms, mixing religions and serving two masters.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24
Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him. Mark 12:17
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did. 2 Kings 17:33-41
As critical as those issues are, none are as important as the church’s primary task of bringing the gospel to the community and the world. Plainly, some pastors have lost their way and some churches have forgotten their task. When they are willing to risk the salvation of lost people who wander into their services in order to get certain candidates elected, one must wonder if these men of God have forgotten their assignment from Matthew 28:18-20.
When Israel was in Babylon, God sent a message to His people through the prophet Jeremiah. “Work for the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile and pray on its behalf. For as it prospers, you will prosper." (Jeremiah 29:7)
In your town, state and country…work for it, pray for it. I even encourage people to be politically active of course. Just don’t bring the politicians and campaigns into the church building. And don’t donate the reputation of your Christian identity and the reputation of your faith to the politicians to be used as a tool. The church is a sanctuary not the other way around. The politicians should be coming to the church for wisdom and sanctuary, not the church going to the government and politicians. Christians should not be whoring their righteousness to those that will merely use it as a political or fiscal gain. There ought to be at least one place where we are protected from such.
Our allegiance is to the Gospel not to the systems of men. Anything that would seek to impose itself in the place of the Gospel or bring insult or offense to the Gospel and Scriptures is a resounding…NO. If your allegiance is not first to God, Gospel and Scripture you are effectively mixing God’s kingdom with a broken divided kingdom. We all know what the Bible says about the priority of the supremacy of God’s kingdom, divided kingdoms, mixing religions and serving two masters.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24
Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him. Mark 12:17
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did. 2 Kings 17:33-41
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